Afraid
by HeathenVampires
Summary: When Vlad was little, he used to climb into her bed because he was afraid of the dark. It's probably not appropriate now he's an adult. Slow build up to a slow burning Vlad/Ingrid one shot.


**Not my characters, definitely my perversion though.**

 **A request I got that caught my eye -**

 **"When Vlad was little, he used to climb into her bed because he was afraid of the dark. It's probably not appropriate now he's an adult."**

 **If you need warnings for my Vlad/Ingrid stuff now... You shouldn't. Though I will warn that there's probably some OOC behaviour scattered throughout, but that's all the warnings you'll get by now.**

-YD-

When Vlad was four, small and chubby-cheeked, chewing on the paw of his monkey toy Mr Cuddles, he'd started coming to her at night. Six years old and already excited about becoming a vampire, Ingrid was confused by her little brother. "Sis? I'm scared." Rolling over to look down at him stood on the floor, Ingrid rolled her eyes. "Scared of what?" "The dark." "Vlad, we're vampires. Dark is where we belong." His too-big blue eyes filled with tears, and Ingrid sighed and moved up. "Come on you little worm, if it'll make you let me sleep." Vlad clambered up next to her, curling into a ball with his teddy. "Thanks Ingrid." He'd struggled to pronounce her name since he could talk, but she refused to answer to "Inwid" and had spent many hours teaching him to say it properly. Vlad was asleep almost instantly, sucking his thumb and periodically reaching out to check she was still there, though she didn't think he was awake enough to know he was doing it.

By the time Vlad was six and she was eight, their father had discovered Vlad's bizarre night fear and ordered her to stop letting Vlad into her room at night. That didn't stop Vlad turning up, and very very rarely, when their father was out hunting and terrorising all night she'd let him curl up next to her just to stop him crying. He still gnawed on the raggedy monkey, and he still reached out to check she was there in the night. Ingrid would always push him out before the sun rose, making sure they weren't caught by the Count, because nobody needed that lecture. No matter how many times she turned him away, Vlad never stopped coming back, big blue eyes full of fear and hope as he asked Ingrid to protect him from the dark.

By the time she was ten, Vlad was eight and finally starting to grow a little taller, though the round face he couldn't seem to shift still made him look even younger than vampire aging should. Mr Cuddles had been confiscated until Vlad stopped crying at night, which only made him cry harder when he was alone. Their father got Vlad a stuffed hell-hound on wheels that Vlad named Zoltan, who would talk to him when Vlad couldn't sleep. Even that didn't stop him turning up in her room sometimes, and his big blue eyes would tear up when Ingrid tried to turn him away. Some nights, Ingrid couldn't sleep, just watching her little brother take comfort in her presence as he slept on. These nights, she'd be so lost in watching his little face relax that she'd jump when his hand reached out to check she was still next to him.

At twelve, Ingrid began to resent Vlad. It became increasingly clear their father was grooming Vlad to be heir to the Dracula throne, her rightful place as the eldest child. He was only ten, and Ingrid would hear him some nights telling his stuffed wolf that he didn't want to be a vampire. He got bad dreams, and she'd hear him wake up and cry all over again. Those were the nights he'd come to her again, tears down his pale cheeks and Ingrid would turn him away. It never stopped him coming back, and once or twice Ingrid would give in. Just like when he was even tinier, Vlad's hand would reach out to check she was there. One night, she moved from the bed and Vlad woke up, looking around in fear that she was gone. "Sis?" His childish voice thick with sleep, he'd called out to her and Ingrid found herself moving back. When she was next to him again, he settled back and fell asleep.

When she was fourteen and Vlad twelve, their father had caused some kind of serious issue that led to an angry peasant mob outside their castle. Somewhere along the lines, it was decided they'd move. They ended up in some tiny Welsh village called Stokely, and Ingrid assumed the fact his room being in the tower and hers nearer the crypt would keep him away. And for about a year, that was true. Vlad started having nightmares again, their father constantly having run-ins with the local vampire slayer leaving him scared the Count would be dusted. After a month of hearing his cries echo down the stairs as her vampire hearing started edging in, Ingrid wasn't all that surprised when he turned up in her room. She thought about turning him away, but he looked so utterly pathetic that she sighed and let him curl up next to her. Both teens now, it wasn't like when they were children and her narrow bed meant their bodies were close. She still felt him reach out to her in his sleep, and she wondered if he did that when he slept alone.

Her sixteenth birthday was approaching, and Vlad was finally growing into a teenagers body at fourteen. Ingrid got her own coffin, and there was dusting and secrets and suddenly an old vampire prophecy about 'the chosen one' had led to her scrawny "I don't want to be a vampire" brother. Ingrid broke away from the family, over four years apart and Ingrid missed his eighteenth birthday. Sometimes, when she was tucked up in a coffin at daybreak, Ingrid would feel flickers of memories of him breathing peacefully next to her in her mind. She always pushed them away, pretended they weren't there. Vlad was destined for many things, and sleeping next to her because he was scared of the dark was not one of them. In the thin layer between waking and sleeping, Ingrid wondered if he still reached out in his sleep for her. The next night when she woke, Ingrid would always deny thinking about it to herself.

* * *

If asked, Ingrid could not have remembered how it happened when she found Vlad in Transylvania. He was tall, his chubby face finally thinned down to show Dracula bone structure and his too-big blue eyes had hardened. Ingrid took his invitation to 'catch up', following him to his castle where she was surprised to find he lived alone. "Dad wants nothing to do with me, because I want peace between vampires and humans." Having heard about his peace treaty through the vampire bloodvine, Ingrid nodded and Vlad offered her free reign over his blood cellar - he never touched it but the Grand High Vampire got many gifts and hosted many events. He gave her 'the tour' of most of the castle, automatically offering her a room in the crypt where she left her bag, but he seemed hesitant when it came to the room he slept in. Ingrid didn't understand why until he finally showed her, thick black drapes covering his windows because he didn't want to sleep in the crypt. And then there was the bed, not a coffin though she'd seen more than one in his basement rooms. Memories of him creeping into her room when she still slept in a bed filled her mind, no longer kept at bay with Vlad stood in front of her. Ingrid wondered if that was why he slept in one, to remember sleeping with her next to him. Did he still reach for her in the night? Or was this just another sign of Vlad and his 'I don't want to be a vampire' spiel, in spite of him taking his place as Grand High Vampire.

"Still afraid of the dark?" Vlad met her eyes, the darkness melting away until Ingrid could see the little boy who used to reach out to her at night. "If I say yes, will you stay?" They were grown ups now, and Ingrid knew what he was asking was more than just the one night. "Maybe." Ingrid couldn't promise, and Vlad seemed to accept this. As night began to fade, Vlad disappeared off to change for bed. He noticed Ingrid's questioning look when he returned in nothing but sleep shorts. "I can change if you want?" If either heart could have quickened then, Ingrid knew it would be deafening. Ingrid shook her head, mumbling it was fine and watching as Vlad lay in his bed, facing away from her - giving her both privacy and the chance to leave. Ingrid took the t-shirt he'd offered, shaking hands pushing her clothes away and pulling on the fabric. It felt alien after years in a coffin, but Ingrid lay next to him. They still faced away from each other, but Ingrid could scarcely fall asleep until his hand reached out to find her.

This time, he wasn't asleep. Ingrid turned to see him staring at her, eyes brighter than she remembered. Her heart would have hammered in anticipation if it could beat at all, but Vlad waited until Ingrid gave him a sign. She turned to face away from him again, but her fingers wrapped around his wrist and pulled. Vlad moved to lie behind her, and she could feel the shaking of his body as his arm lay over her waist. Neither of them would admit to how quickly they fell asleep like that, and Vlad wasn't behind her when Ingrid woke. When she found him in his library, flicking through an enormous tome on Council History, Ingrid searched for a conversation topic that wasn't what had happened that morning. "So, what is it you do Your Grandness?" Vlad sighed. "Please don't call me that, it's bad enough at the VHC. It's Council Recess this month, then next month we have to compare the statistics on biting, slaying and turning other than licensed relationship bites. I'm just brushing up on old meeting procedures so nobody can blindside me to try and end the Ceasefire."

Neither of them dared bring up the elephant in the room, but Ingrid didn't leave and Vlad didn't ask her to. When the sun was starting to rise, Vlad went to change for bed just like yesterday. He stood waiting for a moment, eyes fixed on Ingrid before he seemed to realise what he was doing. He lay down like he did before, facing away from Ingrid. Ingrid tried to fight it but found herself undressing again, pulling on his t-shirt to cover herself and sitting up in the bed. He turned to face her eventually, all but totally frozen until she gave him an expectant look that was masking her anxiety. He rolled over to look up at her then, waiting to see what Ingrid would do. She had barely lay back down before Vlad's arm was around her, pulling her into his body and holding her tighter, surer than he had last time, and Ingrid noticed he wasn't shaking now.

The following night, Vlad was still there when she woke. She knew they both knew the other was awake, but it took them far longer than it should have to admit to it and get up for the night. Vlad showed her his training room, a mix of vampire and breather equipment that explained why the chubby, scrawny teen she'd seen before was now lean and muscular. Not that she'd looked, but Vlad only slept in shorts so it was obvious. Shaking away the thoughts, Ingrid followed him back up to his library. "So, all alone in this big castle? I'd have thought the Chosen One would have vampiresses throwing themselves at him." Vlad scowled into his 'soya substitute' blood. "I do, but they aren't interested in me. It's just the title, the power. It may be too touchy breathy for most to understand, but I'm not binding to someone for all eternity for less than love." "You're right, that is touchy breathy." "And the castle is because of my title, I wouldn't choose something so huge and overly extravagant myself."

Ingrid was perusing the thick spines of books, feeling bored and going to turn away and finding her path obstructed by Vlad. He was leaning above her to pull down another book, surprised to find her face barely an inch from his. If she blinked, she'd have missed the split second his eyes fell to her mouth before he was moving away and shaking his head. Ingrid wasn't sure if she was relieved or disappointed, but went to drown both feelings in his blood cellar before she could bring herself to face him again. They avoided each other most of the night, and Ingrid knew there were other places she could sleep as she found herself outside his room just before daybreak. Vlad was looking at the door as she came in, his t-shirt waiting over the chair she'd placed her clothes on the two days previously. "I wasn't sure you'd decide to come in today." Ingrid couldn't answer, merely gesturing for him to look away so she could change before climbing in next to him.

There was an edge of desperation in how Vlad held her, and Ingrid could swear there were tears against her skin but she wasn't brave enough to turn and see if he was crying. Sleep didn't come easily, and she knew Vlad was still awake behind her as she finally drifted off. For once, she woke before him and there were still traces of tears on his pale cheeks. Ingrid brushed a hand over one before she realised what she was doing, swallowing the urge to stay wrapped in his hold as she pulled off his t-shirt and flitted down to the room her clothes were in. She considered leaving her things in his room, but Ingrid felt like that would be admitting she never planned to stop spending every day in his arms. And she wasn't prepared for that.

Vlad finally introduced her to the laundry room, laughing heartily when she threatened to stake him if he tried to get her to do his. Every night seemed like a tiny step closer to her basically living with him, a new room Ingrid would need to spend more time there, as she swore she'd leave by tomorrow each time she let Vlad wrap around her at dawn. This time, she knew he was crying silently, tears damp on the collar of her borrowed t-shirt but Ingrid still couldn't turn around. When they woke, Ingrid ignored the faint brush of lips over the back of her neck and Vlad ignored the faint shiver of her body as they separated to shower and dress for the night. Both working to pretend nothing had happened, they joked and laughed until it didn't feel forced as they talked about childhood memories that weren't the nights Vlad turned up to sleep next to her.

He had a whole room dedicated to old memories, and Ingrid was amused to find Zoltan in there. "I let him out sometimes, but most of the VHC don't approve of his humour and he stays in here for his own safety, don't you Zoltan?" "Yes Master Vlad. Hello Mistress Ingrid." Surprised the stuffed dog still remembered her, Ingrid smiled softly as Vlad looked around. There was a very dog-eared, old and raggedy Mr Cuddles on one shelf, next to the only rugby trophy Vlad had ever won before the Chosen One status took over the last of his childhood. There was a photo of him and Robin Branagh on the sole camping trip Vlad had begged his friend to go on, the photo album the Count always pored over for every one of Vlad's birthdays. "You're the only person I've ever shown this room to."

She knew there were many parts of Vlad's soul only she had seen, but his words brought it all home as his eyes burned into hers. Neither of them moved as minutes ticked by, but the moment was shattered when Zoltan sneezed as he nosed through a dusty book. They both blinked away the haze, turning away from each other until their hands stopped shaking. Ingrid was the first to leave the room, knowing if she stayed that close to him right now she'd give in. She heard Vlad say a hurried goodbye to Zoltan and lock the door, then the sounds of skin on fabric as he poured his heart out in the training room. For the first time since she arrived in Vlad's home, Ingrid went to her own room that morning. Lying in her coffin already felt strange, the lack of Vlad's body against hers making her feel cold in a way that had nothing to do with body heat.

Ingrid would never know who caved to seek out the other first, finding Vlad coming down from his room as she gave in to leaving hers. Their eyes met across the hallway, taking shaky steps towards each other. Vlad's control snapped first, but Ingrid's wasn't far behind as his lips pressed against hers. He was gentle to begin with, hesitant until she responded. When Ingrid's mouth moved with his, Vlad backed her against the wall, bodies pressed tightly together as he kissed her. She felt dazed as he pulled her to his room again, unsure if she could handle the intensity in his touch beyond this now. Vlad didn't push her further, holding out the t-shirt she slept in and turning away to give her privacy. Shaking hands traded her clothes for his t-shirt, and Ingrid moved to the bed to wait for him. Vlad blurred to lie next to her, kissing her again before lying down and pulling her into their usual position.

Sleep took them both almost instantly, the beginnings of acceptance after fourteen years filling them with a contentment that made Ingrid dizzy. Vlad reeked of nerves that night as they woke, terrified Ingrid regretted letting him kiss her. Never one to let nerves slow her from speaking her mind, Ingrid still felt shaky as she went to brush her teeth in his bathroom, feeling his eyes follow her until they traded places. Ingrid sat back on the bed, indicating with a tilt of her head for Vlad to join her. He sat down cautiously, the anxiety still pouring off him. "If I went too far Ingrid, I'm sorry. Please don't hate me?" His eyes were wide, pleading. "Don't be stupid Vlad, do you think I wouldn't have staked you where you stood if you were doing something I didn't want?" There was the beginning of a smile on his face as she answered, but Ingrid needed to make herself clear. "I don't think I'm ready for anything more than that though Vlad. That's not a rejection." The smile broke out fully then, and it was still evident when Vlad kissed her softly.

"If all you're ever ready for is this, I won't care. It's enough to fall asleep with you, to know you don't hate me for wanting to kiss you." He looked so genuinely happy it almost hurt to look at, leaning in to kiss her again. Ingrid finally left her things in his room, a strange kind of melding when Vlad cleared space in his wardrobe, his bathroom and his bedside tables so it could be 'their' room. True to his words, Vlad never gave any indication of wanting more than gentle brushes of their lips together or Ingrid's body in his arms when they slept. It became increasingly difficult to convince herself out of his hold every night, and by the time Vlad had to go back to working at the VHC, Ingrid actually found herself feeling lonely when he had to leave before she had decided to get up. He kissed her goodbye softly, standing at the doorway to look at her in their bed until he finally dragged himself away.

* * *

Ingrid showered, dressed and wandered around the castle, the endless twisting and turning of corridors providing enough distraction until Vlad returned a couple of hours later. She heard him go to their room first, then he was dashing around the house calling her name. Ingrid leant against the wall of the room she'd ended up in, waiting for him to find her. The smile that crossed his face when he finally laid eyes on her again was dazzling, so blatantly happy to see her Ingrid almost turned away from the sheer joy in his eyes. He ducked down to kiss her cheek, still smiling when Ingrid turned to let him kiss her properly. After the first time, pressed together against the wall in the hallway, every kiss was soft, gentle and sweet. "You got me in trouble today at Council." Given that, as far as Ingrid knew, the only other being aware of her presence here was Zoltan, she raised a querying eyebrow to him. "How exactly did I do that?"

Pulling her out of the depths of rooms he clearly didn't visit often, Vlad wrapped his arms around her as they landed in the blood cellar. "I got scolded more than once for being in far too good a mood. Given that the only change since the last time I was there is you, it is clearly your fault." Cocking her head up at him, Ingrid smirked. "Are you implying it's a bad thing?" "Not in the slightest, what are they going to do? File a complaint? I can see the headlines in the Sunblock now - Grand High Vampire smiles too much! Council members question sanity." He was exuberant, utterly at ease in her company and so much more relaxed in general than he had been when Ingrid first found him... only a month ago now. "So, how is the peace doing?" Vlad smiled brightly. "Biting and slaying are down, and the application process for turning new vampires in relationships is perfectly streamlined. All in all, it's doing amazingly."

If it had been any other vampire than Vlad, Ingrid probably would have been front of the line to tear through the Slayers Guild until the ceasefire fell apart. But the smile on his face as he spoke about less death, less destruction, Ingrid wasn't sure she could ever bring herself to hurt that. "You're such a breather lover, why do I put up with you?" Vlad moved close to her again, gripping her waist and spinning her in mid-air like they were ballroom dancing. "Because you love me?" He seemed to realise what he'd said, dropping his hands and stepping away. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I wasn't trying to push or anything." Vlad was babbling now, horrified with himself for bringing up what was clearly a delicate issue for him. Placing a hand on his cheek, Ingrid turned his face to hers and leaned up to kiss him silent. He whimpered as she did so, a hint of more than the usual chaste kisses they shared before he regained control of himself.

"I've been letting you into my bed since you were four years old. You drooled, you fidgeted and you had that mangy monkey. Of course I love you, you idiot." Vlad practically choked in surprise when Ingrid said that, as though he was about to deny something like his drooling or that Mr Cuddles was mangy before the last of her words sunk in. "As much as I just want to declare that I love you too and leave it at that, I can't. Do you mean you love me as your brother? Or as... more?" Pulling his mouth back to hers for a moment, Ingrid could feel the restraint Vlad was excercising now. "It's been more than just brother and sister for a long time now, hasn't it?" She could see the cogs in his brain turning as he tried to work out what she meant, anxious eyes finding hers. "I really was scared of the dark. Or rather, scared to sleep. I still kind of am. Though for different reasons now."

Feeling an odd sense of... not quite rejection, Ingrid simply kept looking at him. "Oh! I love you too. Sorry, I say it in my head every time I look at you, I forget you can't hear that." The ache soothed, Ingrid went back to what Vlad had said before. "Why are you scared now?" Vlad seemed to realise they'd essentially been standing in the middle of his... their blood cellar for a while now, indicating Ingrid should get her bottle while Vlad got his soya blood. She let him pull them to their room, shedding his jacket and shoes and reclining on the bed after pouring his drink. Ingrid followed suit, letting Vlad find the words he needed. "I haven't been scared since you came back to me. As a kid, it was just the usual bad dreams, but even then I knew I had them more than most. I still don't know why, maybe it was a chosen one thing, maybe I was just unlucky. All I knew was when I knew you were next to me, the dreams went away. When we moved to Stokely, I started to realise I wanted... you. So I tried to stay away, only the really bad nightmares had me giving in and needing you near me. Then you were gone, and I just remember feeling heartbroken and letting it fuel my 'rise to power' for a while."

Vlad stopped to sip at his drink, and Ingrid wondered how long he'd carried this around with him - it was hardly something he'd bring up at Council meetings, and if he'd fallen out with their father, Vlad basically had nobody but Zoltan and Mr Cuddles. "I was like you with the Blood Mirror, though I managed to leave my reflection in there until I was seventeen. It's still kind of surprising I had powers at all, I was technically untransformed but my fangs came in, I could turn into a bat or smoke and make fireballs and stuff. When dad found out he went bats, locked me in the room with the Blood Mirror for a week. Eventually I was weak enough that the gargoyles could get hold of me, and they literally threw me into the mirror. I didn't have just one evil reflection, there were a thousand waiting for me. I almost killed dad, left him with a garlic necklace on while I went off being 'bad'. But then I found Mr Cuddles, and I remembered sleeping next to you. It gave me the strength to fight my dark side, to take control. Dad never trusted me again, and when I came of age and started the Ceasefire, he disowned me - again. For all I know he's off trying to sire a new heir. I could probably instate myself as head of the Dracula clan, but do I really need more work and tradition to go through?"

Trying to process all of this information that hadn't even been hinted at in the time Ingrid had been here, she let Vlad drink more of his soya blood before she pushed a little more. "That doesn't explain why you're scared to sleep now, or were." Vlad turned sad eyes to her as he put his glass aside, reaching for her hand. She let him take it, lacing their pale fingers together and returning the gentle squeeze of his grip. "When I lie down, try to sleep, I hear them. I'm in control of my dark side, but my reflections are all still there, whispering to me in that space between awake and asleep. But just like all the times when we were kids, you make them go away. I hadn't slept properly in over four years before you came back to me." Squeezing his hand a little tighter, Ingrid could hardly believe it. "For the love of garlic Vlad, why haven't you said any of this before?" His eyes checked she'd put her own glass aside before he pulled her close, pressing a kiss into her hair. "Because I was happy you were back, but I didn't want to make you feel like you had to stay. I wanted you to want to stay."

* * *

"Well Chosen One, you got your wish there. I don't want to leave. I'm not even sure I could sleep in a coffin, never mind sleep alone again." A gentle pressure against her jaw from Vlad's hand had Ingrid tilting her face upwards, Vlad's tears damp on her cheeks as he kissed her. His eyes were bright again as they broke apart, Vlad whispering "I love you" between their shared breaths. His eyes followed her as Ingrid climbed into his lap, pressing back in to kiss him. "Don't" was intoned against her lips and Ingrid pulled back, confused. "Don't what?" Vlad's hands were shaking at his sides, his eyes telling her it was suppressed desire. "Don't do something you aren't ready for to make me feel better." Brushing their mouths together again, Ingrid smiled. "That's very sweet of you to say, but I wasn't planning on doing anything I wasn't ready for. I'm still not ready to... you know" Ingrid could speak bluntly about any topic with ease, but when it came to talking about actually having sex with Vlad, she struggled "but I am dying to let you touch me right now."

Vlad was still hesitant, scared to push her until Ingrid reached down to his hands, pulling them to rest up at the zip fastening of her dress. His fingers trembled as they pulled the zipper loose slowly, his eyes watching her for any sign of discontent until Ingrid leant in closer, breathing "Vlad, touch me. Please" against his ear. That seemed to be the nudge he needed, and the fastening was barely undone before Vlad was pushing her dress away, sparing all of a second to remove it from the bed so he could turn their bodies over. He kissed her for what felt like hours, gently teasing at her mouth with his tongue until Ingrid felt like she was drowning in desire. Just when she thought Vlad wouldn't go further than this maddeningly slow pace, he finally pulled back to look in her eyes. "Are you sure?" Ingrid nodded, but Vlad still went on to say "You can say stop no matter what ok?" Ingrid nodded again and Vlad blissfully moved on, albeit slowly.

His lips mapped her neck, tender kisses over the column of her throat until Ingrid whimpered. As he moved down, Ingrid felt his erection brush against her thigh, undoubtably constrained by his jeans but Vlad gave no indication of any desire other than mouthing softly over the sweep of her collarbone. Vlad kissed over both her shoulders, eyes flickering up to her face for signs of doubt as he slid the straps of her bra down, placing hesitant brushes of his lips across the swell of her breasts. He needed more than a nod from her now, and Ingrid arched her back to let him reach below and unclasp her bra. He still went slowly, giving her time to change her mind before he pulled the covering away. His eyes actually widened as her bare chest was revealed, and Ingrid could see the reverence in his face as he took her in. "Blood Ingrid" Vlad breathed out, eyes still locked on her breasts "you are perfection."

Ingrid could see the faint tremors in his shoulders where he was holding back, his fingers as gentle as ever when they finally touched her. Vlad brushed his thumbs across her nipples gently, his eyes flaming with desire when Ingrid moaned in response, the peaks hardening under his hands. The next brushes had more pressure, more purpose now Vlad knew she liked it. Ingrid couldn't stop herself arching up, pushing her breasts into his palms and she caught him smirking as she did so. His mouth and tongue were cool where they sucked and licked over the sensitive buds, and Ingrid gasped in surprised pleasure when Vlad blew cold air over the damp skin, making her whole body tingle until it centered at the point his tongue pressed to her nipple again. "I could do this for days, what do you think?" Vlad was smirking up at her, looking distinctly less innocent than before as his tongue peeked out to tease her again. Ingrid could only shake her head in response, the wet arousal building between her thighs was already driving her to distraction.

She knew if she said stop, Vlad would immediately cease whatever he was doing and never dare try to go past that point without her express permission, and that was what made Ingrid place a hand on his shoulder, pushing him further down and arching her hips in invitation. The reverence he had for her body, the love in his eyes even amongst the burning desire, it let Ingrid drop the nerves as hesitant fingers curled over the elastic of her underwear. Ingrid raised her hips again, letting Vlad pull away the last thing covering her body. There was a flash of his fangs, the only sign of his mounting desire before they were gone again, his fingers soft and exploring as they brushed over her. Ingrid was not naive about sex, but Vlad's intense focus zeroed in on her as he touched and tested for different reactions, different sounds was almost as powerful as the actual sensations themselves.

When Vlad finally gave in to his own want, gently easing her thighs apart and keeping an eye on her face to check for hesitation, Ingrid couldn't help crying out as his tongue dragged over her clitoris, his groan of pleasure vibrating against her. When Ingrid could finally open her eyes again, Vlad's were fixed on her face as his mouth teased and tasted her, eyes dark was desire, desire for her. Everything built up as Vlad kept up the teasing strokes of both his fingers and tongue together, firm and wet pressure until Ingrid broke beneath it all, writhing in pleasure as she came. Vlad pushed her further, brushing his fingers against her and making aftershocks rock through her. "Stop, fuck I can't take more." The fear as she said stop melted into something she'd call a mix between smug and lustful as Ingrid collapsed back on the bed panting. Vlad wiped his mouth and fingers on his t-shirt, stripping it off and tossing it to the floor.

As she finally came down, Ingrid could see Vlad fidgeting. "What is it?" Vlad tilted his head in the direction of his bathroom. "I need to go... relieve the tension." Understanding dawned as she realised Vlad was still hard, straining against his zipper. "Do you want me to?" "You don't have to, it's not going to take much after that." Vlad ducked his head as the words fell from his mouth, suddenly shy now Ingrid wasn't at his mercy. She sat up, tracing a hand down his smooth chest, his toned stomach and resting at the top of his jeans. "Are you sure?" Ingrid nodded again, Vlad's hands joining hers to unfasten the button, lowering his zipper slowly and hissing as his erection was freed. She pushed him back, straddling his thighs again and pulling the fabric of his boxers away. Vlad's hips jerked as her hand wrapped around his cock, hypersensitive to every touch as she stroked up and down.

It was only moments before he came, eyes locked deeply into hers, her name on his lips as he arched and spilled over himself. Vlad was panting as he fell back against the bed, not unlike her as he shook with the pleasure. "Sorry, that was embarrassingly fast." Ingrid shook her head, squeezing at his oversensitive cock and Vlad whined. He stood and fumbled with his clothes, covering himself up and looking at the sticky mess on his stomach. "I need a shower." Ingrid held out a hand, Vlad's smile a reward in itself as he led her to the bathroom. She couldn't help watching as his jeans and boxers hit the floor, and Vlad hurried to wash himself clean before pulling Ingrid against him again. "Thank you" was murmured against her as he kissed her, soft and sweet again now. "What for?" "Everything. I love you." They stood that way for a moment, his arms wrapped around her and his face utter serenity as he looked at her.

* * *

Ingrid didn't realise how lost in it all she'd been until she saw the sunrise at the very edge of the horizon, Vlad hastening to close the heavy drapes as they went to bed. Ingrid pulled on clean underwear but forwent the usual t-shirt, enjoying Vlad's look of wonder as he saw her lay down in next to nothing. He pulled on his own shorts, climbing in behind her and holding her close. He whispered "thank you" against her shoulder again as he drifted off to sleep, his happiness contagious as Ingrid felt a smile cross her face before she followed him. Upon waking, Vlad grumbled in complaint when he realised he was due at the VHC again, kneeling over her after he dressed to kiss her. "I'm going to get in trouble for smiling again, last night was perfect. I love you." He flitted off, leaving Ingrid to process everything that had happened. It wasn't that she didn't want Vlad fully, the intense pleasure of his touch was addictive already but she couldn't shake the tiny voice in the back of her mind, the one reminding her it was her brother kissing her goodnight.

She knew they'd never been, never would be normal siblings, but there was something about the idea of giving her body over completely to Vlad that made her stop and think. Ingrid couldn't share this with Vlad, she knew he'd take it the wrong way and be plagued with guilt over the previous night. Feeling vulnerable now, Ingrid dressed and found herself outside Vlad's 'memory' room. She felt daft for even considering the idea as she unlocked the door - Vlad had shown her what every key in the house went to, going so far as to make copies of every single one - and locking it behind her again. Zoltan was sleeping, head resting against a cushion she recognised from when Vlad had tried to make the castle 'breather friendly' for a police officer visiting.

Picking up the photo album, Ingrid went through the pictures. She recognised most of them, having seen the album multiple times growing up. The last two pages were new though, delicate and painstaking portraits of her. Ingrid wasn't sure how, but she knew Vlad had done them. Slamming the album closed and putting it back, she realised the sound had woken the stuffed wolf. "Ah, Mistress Ingrid. And how are you this evening?" "I... I don't know." "Can I help? I'm not good with much but I can certainly talk and listen." Clearly, years with nobody but Vlad for company had made the previously-a-killer hound soft. "Ah, is this to do with your unique relationship with Master Vlad?" Turning her head round to look at the dog in confusion, Ingrid realised her mouth was hanging open. "How do you know about that?"

Zoltan sighed, shaking his furry head. "He has never brought anyone in here before, and a blind bat could see the way he looks at you. Forgive me for being blunt Miss Ingrid, but you were never one to need to talk about your feelings before. Therefore, the only conclusion I can draw is that you two finally gave in and you are struggling with some aspect of it all." Having never credited the wolf with much intelligence, Ingrid was stunned at his accuracy. She felt much like some daft childrens show, pouring feelings out to an inanimate object or a pet but there was not likely another creature on the planet Ingrid could go to about this. "Most of the time, I'm happy. And for a vampire, that's not an easy thing to admit. But sometimes, just sometimes I'm very aware that it's Vlad, it's my brother." Short and to the point, Ingrid didn't want to waste words.

"I think you are reading too much into it. If Master Vladimir were some boy you had met during your life, would you be having these concerns?" "Well, no. But he's not, he's the little boy who used to come to me because he was scared of the dark with drool on his face and a monkey toy clutched in his hands." "And you are the little girl who let him. Even if it was innocent and childlike back then, you have always had a weakness for him have you not?" Zoltan was right, Ingrid was as powerless against his ice blue eyes now as she had been against the big blue orbs when he was tiny. "Master Vlad is not going to reject you if you are honest with him about this, if you are serious about pursuing this... union long term, you must not hide this. He will only feel worse if he finds out later." Ingrid nodded, contemplating the words. "If nothing else, after not seeing each other for four years you could not resist sleeping together. If that doesn't answer your concerns, I don't know what will Mistress Ingrid. Now would you be so kind as to hand me that squeaky bat? I dropped it yesterday and have not been able to reach it since."

Shoving the black plastic in Zoltan's mouth, Ingrid locked the door behind her as she left and headed to the blood cellar. After what was basically very little time in terms of immortal creatures, this castle already felt more like home than any other, and Ingrid knew that was because of Vlad, because they were finally the way they should be - together. Sipping at a good vintage, Ingrid had to admit there were perks to being the one who was bedding the Chosen One - the extensive collection of blood was fantastic. She didn't realise how long she'd been talking to Zoltan until she heard Vlad arrive back, repeating the last nights actions of flitting around the castle calling her name. When he found her, the now-familiar smile broke out on his face. Vlad ducked to kiss her in greeting, his face falling when Ingrid moved away. "Blood, was last night too much? I'm sorry Ingrid!" Placing her goblet aside, Ingrid reached for Vlad's hand.

"That's not what this is about. Well, it kind of is. Look, go get settled on the bed, I'll be up in a minute." Vlad's eyes were sad as he nodded, flitting off quickly to try and hide the glimmer of tears there. Ingrid took a deep breath, not actually needing it but it was a habit most young vampires took time to shake after their 'human' years before sixteen. Trying to straighten out what she needed to say, Ingrid sighed. She had to explain her feelings to Vlad in a way that didn't make him consider staking himself, her somewhat over-emotional brother prone to the extremes of many things like happiness or guilt. She was right about Vlad tearing up, catching him swipe at his eyes as she entered the room. "I'm sorry Ingrid, I should have controlled myself better." Vlad curled in on himself, wrapping his arms around his knees and hiding his face in the space created.

"Vlad, will you at least let me talk before you go drowning in guilt by yourself?" His face came back up, still streaked with tears but he nodded. "After you left, I went to talk to Zoltan... shut up" Vlad's mouth twitched in a half smirk, his eyebrow rising slightly "because while I am so happy it's sickening here, sometimes I can't shake this voice in my head, this tiny nagging reminder that it's you, that you're my little brother." Vlad looked crushed at her admission, shoulders racking with suppressed sobs. He fought for control over himself for a moment before managing to look at her, voice still thick with sadness and yet-unshed tears. "Are... are you leaving?" "That depends." "On?" Vlad's voice was edging to desperate now. "On whether you're going to beat yourself up with guilt, or whether it's going to be too hard on you to go back to before, where we just slept together like when we were kids." His body shook again before Vlad managed to answer. "I'll do anything, just please don't leave me."

* * *

It seemed easier than she expected it to be, the almost de-celeration of their... relationship back to just curling up at daybreak to sleep in Vlad's arms, back to wearing his t-shirt. He never brought up that there had been more, never pushed for more contact other than occasionally squeezing her hand if they were talking about something deep and emotional, which was rare. Vlad still sought her out when he got back from Council meetings, but he would just give Ingrid a small smile, acknowledging to himself she hadn't left before leaving it up to her to seek him out. There were days where he almost forgot himself, she could see it in his eyes - usually the days his VHC meeting had gone well or there was particularly good news about the ceasefire - where before he'd have kissed her soundly and hugged her tightly.

By the time the next years Council Recess rolled around, Ingrid could almost convince herself they had never admitted to more than enjoying the feeling of the other as they slept. Except she couldn't. She missed the way Vlad brushed kisses over her shoulder when he woke up, the soft kisses he'd press to her mouth just because, and the fire of love and lust in his eyes when he looked at her. Ingrid kept this a secret, knowing it would be cruel if she led him on only to fall to the same issues she'd had before. She wasn't oblivious to the way some days Vlad's body betrayed him in his sleep, but the second he was alert enough to realise he would hurry off into the bathroom and return acting as 'brotherly' as ever.

Now that he wasn't having to get out of bed and leave, Ingrid knew Vlad was drawing out the time she stayed with him each night. Though given she didn't fight to escape, Ingrid wasn't sure what that said about her side of things. He didn't look particularly rested as he finally got up, stumbling to the bathroom to shower and clean soya blood residue from his mouth. When Vlad came back out, he pulled on clean shorts and resumed curling up on the bed while Ingrid took her turn in the bathroom. "What's wrong Vlad?" He shook his head, shuffling under the covers and closing his eyes. "Didn't sleep well, don't worry." "Don't be an idiot, half the reason we share a bed every night is because neither of us struggle with sleep together."

His eyes were dark as they found hers then. "What's the other half?" Shrugging, Ingrid simply replied with "because we both want to." Vlad nodded, curling back under the covers. He looked small, fragile and scared right now and Ingrid felt her chest constrict as the most powerful vampire in the world cried softly into his pillow. Keeping her voice gentle as she sat next to his ball-shaped body, Ingrid stroked a hand over the top of his arm to get his attention. "What's going on?" Vlad swiped at his face again, straightening out to look up at her. "I dreamt that you left me, and after that I couldn't sleep because I was so scared you wouldn't be there when I woke up." Moving to stroke his still-damp hair in what she hoped was a comforting way, Ingrid tried to reassure him. "It's been months, if I was going to leave don't you think I would have by now?"

"I guess, but it was still horrible." Having only changed into another of Vlad's t-shirts and clean underwear when she left the shower, Ingrid moved to lie beneath the covers with him, pulling him close and letting him cry it out a little more. Vlad managed to calm himself down eventually, moving to sit up and finding Ingrid's face close to his, just like by the bookcase back when she first arrived. Just like then, his eyes fell to her mouth for a fraction of a second before he realised what he was doing and made to move away. This time it was her, placing a hand on his face and using it to guide his lips to hers. Vlad pressed harder against her, whimpering as he kissed her for a moment before pulling away. "No." Looking at him in disbelief, Ingrid was confused. "What do you mean, no? Don't tell me you've changed your mind about... me?" Vlad shook his head, turning away from her. "Not in the slightest. I meant no as in I can't go through it all again. I can unlive with this, with getting to fall asleep next to you every day and keeping the memories of what we had before. I can't make new ones, only to be scared you'll change your mind again. I can't do it."

* * *

Vlad made to leave the bed, but Ingrid grabbed his wrist and pulled him back. The flicker of hope in his eyes strengthened her resolve, moving to press her lips to his. "I thought I couldn't handle it, but the last few months have made me realise what I can't handle is just sleeping together. I want you Vlad, all or nothing." She'd never known anything like Vlad moving to kiss her properly, pushing her to lie down and blanketing her with his body. If she'd needed to breathe, Ingrid was certain she'd have suffocated before giving up the feeling of Vlad's mouth on hers right now. "Tell me to stop" Vlad panted against her neck, his whole body trembling against hers. "Why?" "Because I'm not sure I can stop myself right now." Pulling his face to look at her, Ingrid held his gaze. "I don't want you to stop. All or nothing, what's it to be Vladimir Dracula?"

He kissed her again, a little harder than anything he'd ever done to her before and Ingrid felt the contact tingling down the nerves of her spine, spreading through her body. He stopped again, and Ingrid almost growled in frustration this time. "Garlic help me Vlad, if you ask if I'm sure again instead of getting on with it I will stake you." "Just checking." Ingrid underestimated how much pent-up desire Vlad had been carrying, suddenly feeling it as he kissed her, tasting her mouth fully with his tongue and moving to nip and suck at her neck. His hands slipped under her stolen t-shirt, pushing the fabric aside and rubbing his thumbs roughly over her nipples. The onslaught had coloured lights dancing across her vision already, barely breaking apart long enough to push the top off her so his mouth could explore her chest. When his mouth sealed over her nipple, sucking harshly and his hand slipped down to rub at her clit, even through the underwear Ingrid couldn't help quaking.

Vlad backed up for a second, looking at her in wonder. "Did you just..." Panting, Ingrid could only nod in surprise herself as the haze of orgasm filled her brain. "Wow." Finally finding her voice again, Ingrid growled "I didn't tell you to stop!" Vlad flashed her a smirk, moving to suck at her other nipple and tugging her underwear off quickly. There was no space in her for nerves or concerns this time as Vlad's fingers slipped inside her, the motions a teasing promise of what was to come as he tasted her again, licking and sucking roughly over the sensitive nerves and groaning at the flavour of her. Wondering if Vlad's aim was to drive her mad with pleasure before he even got inside her, Ingrid could feel the next climax building as his fingers and tongue moved in rhythm. Looking down again, Ingrid could see his dark eyes watching her, burning with love and desire and she let herself fall, arching and pressing harder against Vlad as her hips rocked with pleasure.

It took her longer to stop trembling this time, seeing Vlad wipe his mouth and hand on the discarded t-shirt again and lowering her eyes to see his cock straining against his shorts. Every previous reason this shouldn't happen fell away as Vlad leaned down to kiss her again, and Ingrid let her hands move to push his shorts away, not wanting anything between their bodies but heat now. Not wanting him to doubt her desire, Ingrid reached down to grasp his cock, guiding him into place and feeling her body accept his slowly. Vlad's face was one of torturous pleasure, and she realised with startling clarity that they were losing their virginity to each other here and now. Before, the thought would have terrified her slightly, but as Vlad's hips finally came flush with hers Ingrid couldn't feel anything but pure want and love.

Vlad swore repeatedly, shaking all over as he fought not to buckle under the new sensations. Just when Ingrid thought he'd never move again, Vlad's hips slid slowly, almost pulling out before he pushed back in. "Fuck!" His head dropped, harsh pants against her chest as he moved again, slowly finding his rhythm and rocking into Ingrid a little harder. "Blood Ingrid, I've said it before but you are fucking perfect." Vlad's swearing and shaking, the slow loss of control he had each time he pushed into her again, it all made Ingrid hotter as she realised she had that effect on him, rolling her hips into his and relishing the way he trembled and groaned. Vlad's fangs had dropped before long, more control leaving his body as hers pushed him closer to the edge. "Ingrid" she had no idea how Vlad could talk, the only sounds she could make were desperate moans of pleasure as he fucked her "did you mean it when you said all or nothing?" Unsure what he meant, Ingrid nodded against his shoulder as he thrust a little faster, his hips changing angle slightly and making her body twist under the new feeling.

Feeling him swell and twitch inside her, Ingrid knew he was about to come and didn't immediately realise his aim as he bit down on her neck, distracted somewhat by him spilling into her. The final hit of pain and pleasure pushed her to climax with him, Vlad's fangs sliding through her with ease and the arching of her body as she came pushed his fangs deeper still. Vlad was still inside her, both his fangs and softening cock loathe to part with her until his own afterglow lifted. His fangs slipped out first, feeling him smooth his tongue and a soft kiss over the puncture marks in her throat. They both hissed slightly as his cock slid out of her, Vlad turning on his side to lie next to her and she could feel him searching her face for regret. There was not a trace of it in her, though Ingrid was confused by the tingling bite on her neck.

"What was that all about? Not that it didn't feel fucking fantastic." Vlad's eyes were soft as he looked at the mark, tracing a finger over it. "You said all or nothing. So I gave you my all - the first bite of the Chosen One." Tracing her own fingers over it, Ingrid realised Vlad had not only linked them for eternity, he'd made her the second most powerful vampire in the world, second only to him. "So, any terrible regrets?" Ingrid shook her head, ignoring the faint smear of blood on his lips as she kissed him. "Not one. Well, maybe taking so long to realise this is what I wanted. But this was worth the wait." Vlad nodded, kissing her again. "Definitely worth the wait. I love you." Stroking over his pale cheek, Ingrid smiled. "I love you too, you idiot." Stretching, Ingrid could feel the aches of where he'd filled her body. His look of horror was not totally erased by her assurance it was normal, guilt rising in his eyes.

"Vlad, as first times go I'd say mine was perfect. That doesn't mean my body doesn't need to recover from something totally new." "So, you were... I was your first?" Ingrid nodded, already fairly certain she knew the answer as she asked "Was I yours?" Vlad nodded, all soft smiles as he looked at her. "Let's be honest, there was never anyone for me but you." "True, I am rather amazing." Vlad chuckled at her then, kissing her and helping her to stand up. "Come on, shower and sleep. You're going to need the energy when you've recovered." Vlad's dark eyes were enough of a call, Ingrid following him to the bathroom. Her neck stung slightly under the water, but Vlad brushed kisses over the healing marks until Ingrid was almost constantly shivering at the sensation. They managed to actually clean up under the water eventually, drying off and falling into bed again. "So Vlad, still afraid of the dark?" "I'll never be afraid of anything again, so long as I have you next to me."

-YD-

 **This ended up taking about six hours to write, every time I thought I was done more just sort of happened. Oh well, quite possibly the longest one shot I have ever written!**

 **And possibly the gooiest pile of fluff I've ever written by the end, I feel like I should go stab a unicorn or something just to remove some cute from the world now.**


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